PHOTOS: Over 8 years, first daughters Malia and Sasha grow up in the White House

For more than a decade, Barack Obama has been in the spotlight, first as a freshman senator to watch from Illinois, then as a presidential candidate running a hope-fueled campaign, and finally in two terms as U.S. president. Three important women have been by his side the entire way.

Sasha Obama, at seven, was the youngest person to live in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr. Malia Obama was 10 when she moved into the White House and will head off to Harvard in the fall. Back in Chicago, Michelle Obama was a working mom; during her time as First Lady, she kept working, leading the charge to get Americans to take on healthy, active lifestyles.

Here are some photos of their most memorable moments.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is cheered by supporters after he won the Democratic Iowa caucuses in Des Moines, Iowa January 3, 2008. Obama’s wife Michelle (R) and daughters Malia (L) and Sasha are seen with him. Photo by: Keith Bedford

U.S. President-elect Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) arrives to speak to supporters with his wife Michelle (R) and their children Malia (2nd R) and Sasha (2nd L) during his election night rally after being declared the winner of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign in Chicago November 4, 2008. Photo by: Gary Hershorn

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama gets a kiss from his daughter Malia as his younger daughter Sasha watches upon being dropped off at their school in Chicago November 10, 2008. Photo by: Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (C) puts his arm around his daughter Sasha as they sit onstage with his wife Michelle (2nd R), Malia Obama (far R), Vice President-elect Joe Biden (2nd L) and his wife Jill during the ‘We Are One’: Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington January 18, 2009. Photo by: Jim Young

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the first family’s new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn with his family at the White House in Washington April 14, 2009. With Obama are first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia (C) and Sasha. Photo by: Larry Downing

U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd R) and his wife Michelle (R) walk along a trail with their daughters Sasha (L) and Malia on Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor, Maine, July 16, 2010. The First Family is on vacation for the weekend. Photo by: Jim Young

U.S. President Barack Obama walks with his daughters Malia (bottom R) and Sasha, and his wife Michelle, down the steps of Air Force One upon arrival in Rio de Janeiro, March 19, 2011. Obama arrived from Brasilia, where he began a three-country tour of Latin America. Photo by: Sergio Moraes

U.S. President Barack Obama kisses daughter Malia (R) as first lady Michelle Obama looks up as they attend the Olympic men’s exhibition basketball game between Team USA and Brazil in Washington July 16, 2012. Photo by: Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Barack Obama is joined onstage by first lady Michelle Obama and his daughters Sasha (2nd R) and Malia (R) after accepting the 2012 U.S Democratic presidential nomination during the final session of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 6, 2012. Photo by: Adrees Latif

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (2nd from R) administers the oath of office to U.S. President Barack Obama (L) as first lady Michelle Obama (C) and daughters Malia and Sasha (R) look on during ceremonies on the West front of the U.S Capitol in Washington, January 21, 2013. Photo by: Jim Bourg

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama (C) walks with her daughters Sasha (R) and Malia as they visit the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, in Beijing March 23, 2014. Photo by: Petar Kujundzic

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama (2ndR) and their daughters, Malia (L) and Sasha, welcome Pope Francis to the United States upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington September 22, 2015. Photo by: Tony Gentile

U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia (L) and Sasha (R) walk to Air Force One as they depart from Roswell, New Mexico, U.S., June 17, 2016. Photo by: Joshua Roberts

U.S. President Barack Obama his wife Michelle and their daughter Malia acknowledge the crowd after President Obama delivered a farewell address at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. January 10, 2017. Photo by: John Gress